CVE-2026-49762: Unbounded integer parsing in the Version module enables CPU and memory exhaustion denial of service
Unbounded integer parsing in the Version module enables CPU and memory exhaustion denial of service
Other sources
Uncontrolled Resource Consumption vulnerability in the Elixir standard library's Version module allows an attacker who controls a version string to cause a denial of service through CPU and memory exhaustion.
The version parser converts numeric version components (major, minor, patch and numeric pre-release/build identifiers) to integers without bounding their length. A single large all-digit component therefore forces a super-linear, non-yielding base-10 to arbitrary-precision integer conversion (String.tointeger/1, i.e. :erlang.binarytointeger/1) that pins a BEAM scheduler, and a larger component raises an uncaught SystemLimitError that crashes the calling process. A single moderately sized string (around one megabyte) is enough; no authentication is required.
This is reachable from the public entry points Version.parse/1, Version.parse!/1, Version.match?/3, Version.compare/2, and Version.parserequirement/1, which applications routinely call on untrusted input such as HTTP parameters, dependency-manifest fields, and package metadata.
This vulnerability is associated with program files lib/version.ex and program routines 'Elixir.Version.Parser':parsedigits/2.
This issue affects Elixir: from 1.5.0 before 1.20.1.
— NVD
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade to a fixed release to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 1.16.1-2 - Upgrade
Upgrade
Elixir (Elixir standard library)to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 1.20.1
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-49762?
CVE-2026-49762 has a medium severity rating of 5.1.
What vulnerability does CVE-2026-49762 describe?
CVE-2026-49762 describes an uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability in the Elixir standard library's Version module.
How does CVE-2026-49762 enable denial of service?
CVE-2026-49762 allows an attacker to cause CPU and memory exhaustion by controlling a version string that the Version module parses.
Which software is affected by CVE-2026-49762?
CVE-2026-49762 affects the Elixir programming language's standard library.
How can I mitigate CVE-2026-49762?
To mitigate CVE-2026-49762, you should validate and sanitize version strings before parsing them in the Elixir Version module.